Android phonemaker Samsung Electronics Comp., Ltd. (KSC:005930) is scary successful. Its rivals have tried -- and failed -- to use lawsuits to slow its sales. It's so wildly successful that even partner Google Inc. (GOOG) is reportedly getting a little nervous.

The South Korean firm has risen quickly through the ranks, passing Nokia Oyj. (OMX:NOK1V) in smartphone and featurephone unit sales, and creeping closer to Apple, Inc. (AAPL) in profitability. Tonight in New York City, just blocks from one of Apple's busiest stores at the Radio City Music Hall, Samsung unleashed its latest flagship model in its best-selling.

With the Galaxy S IV's U.S. launch, its first American launch event for its flagship phone series, Samsung takes another step in its push to shift its marketing, engineering, and management towards the U.S., the world's most lucrative electronics market.

Here's a breakdown of the phone's specs, versus the phone's chief competitor, the iPhone 5:

(The only items not revealed at the launch event were the price and GPU of the Samsung device.)

Clearly the Galaxy S IV has a much more powerful set of hardware, while being only narrowly heavier/and larger. The 1080p screen is the real star of the show, although the inclusion of 802.11ac, the higher resolution camera, microSD, and a removable battery are other niceties.

When comparing the GSIV and its chief competitor, the iPhone 5, the only remaining questions are battery life (given the more powerful CPU) and buyer preference with regard to screen size (while the iPhone screen is lower resolution, some buyers do prefer smaller screens). Clearly some will prefer the slick metal/glass body of the iPhone 5 to the plastic-type case of the GSIV, as well.

II. What's New

Samsung's Head of Mobile Communications, J.K. Shin calls the Galaxy S IV a true "life companion" bragging, "Innovation improves the way people live every day. For each of us, life is a journey. What you want is a device that can help us on the journey. Ladies and gentlemen, the Samsung Galaxy S4."

The S Health is particularly cool -- it uses the built in accelerometer to track steps taken/calories burned when you're carrying the device, plus features options to track your meals and sleep. S Translator should be handy too; it supports Chinese, French, Italian, German, Japanese, Korean, Portugese, Spanish, and English. The app even can attempt to translate text on signs/printouts using the cameras. The app has mild offline support, with canned phrases.

Samsung Air Health [Image Source: AnandTech]

Home Sync allows you to tap your phone with compatible Samsung NFC devices, like televisions, to pair it. You can then transfer photos wirelessly. The images are uploaded to a 1 TB cloud storage account, which is free for GSIV buyers.

Knox is essentially identical to BlackBerry Ltd.'s (TSE:BB) recently announced multi-mode feature in BB10. The phone can be placed into either a work or a home mode.

TouchWiz on the Galaxy S IV has been glistened up, with a translucent menu bar and other graphical perks.

One are of the UI/firmware that Samsung spent a lot of time on is the camera UI. There's new editing features, and an ability to select still shots from a burst of frames (100 in 4 sec.) -- similar to rival HTC Corp.'s (TPE:2498) much-advertised technology. There's a new "dual camera", which allows you to simultaneously use both cameras on the device for photos or video; there's composite merging of photos; and there's a new AirView touch-friendly gallery app.

There's also been big improvements on the control side. While Apple and other rivals are still largely confined to static touch on the screen, the GSIV introduces air gestures, via the infrared and proximity sensor. If your hands are dirty or full, you can do a rough gesture over the screen surface to get the phone to perform basic actions.

Air Pause/Scroll [Image Source: The Verge]

The 2 MP front camera also tracks your eyes for both scrolling purposes ("Air Scrolling") and to pause video if you look away ("Air Pause").

As with its tap-to-share technology Samsung has clear differentiating technologies that its competitors lack.

For Google, the Galaxy S IV is more good news. For Apple it's a major concern. The soonest Apple will respond is mid-to-late 2013 (with what is being called the iPhone 5S). That gives Samsung potentially 5 or 6 months of uncontested market dominance.

Barring unforeseen events (product bans) expect this launch to help sustain both the upward pressure on Google's stock and the downward pressure on Apple's stock.

That was the widget selection screen, not a menu. It's for adding new widgets to your desktop. The phone is slow to scroll that page because it needs to read every possible widget from every app installed on the phone (some of my apps have dozens of options) before it can display them. In regular use, only the widgets you've installed on the desktop need to be displayed. So there's no point pre-loading all of those widgets in persistent memory just to make it scroll smoother. (Think of Metro's animated tiles. The widget selection screen is like displaying every possible animated tile at once.)

The menus looked like they all scrolled smoothly. Though on Anand's video review it looked like there was a problem with sensitivity (his thumb kept opening the sidebar instead of scrolling the pages, even though it looked like it wasn't actually touching the sidebar). Probably some more tuning needs to be done to better distinguish between touch and hover.

As a customer I don't give a damn about the specifics. It could be made that it keeps one screen full of widgets in memory and loads the other pages as soon as you go to the widget menu, while the first page is being displayed. Those widget previews can't be taking too much memory anyway.

Also if you rewind to 52 seconds, you'll see lag again when swiping through the installed apps. It's laggy crap, but the Fandroids won't notice because they're used to lag and crappy apps.

quote: Also if you rewind to 52 seconds, you'll see lag again when swiping through the installed apps. It's laggy crap, but the Fandroids won't notice because they're used to lag and crappy apps.

Ok, you don't seem to understand the distinction I was making. Maybe because iOS doesn't make the distinction. It's a different concept from iOS. Conceptually it's like the difference between sorting your email into folders, and gmail's use of labels. When you use folders, your data can only be arranged in one way. When you use labels, your data can simultaneously be arranged in multiple ways.

In iOS your app drawer is your desktop. Whatever way you sort the apps there is what you have to live with, all the time.

In Android, the app drawer and desktop are two different things. The app drawer (and widget selection) is just a list of all the apps you have installed. You drag copies of these onto the desktop when you're first setting up the phone (or have installed a new app), then use the desktop from then on. That's pretty much all you use these screens for (though you can use them for other things - see below). Since they're infrequently used, there's no point caching the icons. In fact you wouldn't want to. When you open these, the phone assumes its not up to date and does a force refresh - it reads all the files anew which is what causes the lag (limited by flash memory speed, not CPU nor GPU). The desktops get cached just like in iOS so those scroll smoothly.

This allows you to do a few things you can't do on iOS:- If you want to put the same app/widget on multiple desktop screens, you can. My photo viewing app also plays movies and MP3s, so it has an icon on both my entertainment screen, and my photo/camera screen. My calculator app has icons on both my default homescreen and my work apps screen.- If you need to run an app Right Now but can't remember where you put it on your multiple desktop screens, you don't have to dig through all the screens and folders until you find it. You can open the app drawer which is sorted alphabetically, and find and run the app that way. Other desktop managers let you change the sort order, with common ones being sort by install date, and sort by most recently run. Sorting the app drawer does not affect or change your desktop layout, so it doesn't ruin or reset the desktop you've carefully arranged.- If you've got a couple dozen apps which you only use once in a blue moon, you don't have to have them cluttering up your desktop. You can simply choose not to put a copy on the desktop. The few times a year that you run one of them, you can run it straight from the app drawer.- My phone has over 200 apps installed - more than would fit on all of iOS' 11 desktop screens without using folders. But if you use folders you can't browse all the installed apps by simply swiping the screen side to side. You have to dig into the folders one by one to see all the apps. Android lets you have it both ways - swipe side by side on the desktop to see your commonly used apps (even use folders if you wish). And a single aggregate list of all installed apps (and widgets) you can browse through without having to micromanage folders.

Yes you can semi-duplicate some of these with search. But that's not the point. With iOS, you're limited by this fixed desktop paradigm + search that Apple has decided is the best way for everyone to operate their phone. With Android, you get to choose how you want to set up your phone. If you want to set it up like iOS, you can. If you want to set it up completely differently, you can. I know it's a scary concept, making decisions for yourself. But I assure you that even Apple users get the hang of it pretty quickly.

I used android and know the distinction between an app drawer and a desktop. I personally don't care for it as it's just another thing I have to maintain, and move apps back and forth...just tinkering with the phone instead of using it. I accomplish the same on the iPhone by putting the most commonly used apps in the first page and the rest in folders on 2nd and 3rd pages. If I have to quickly find an app, there is the search function.

Still does not excuse lagginess, not one bit. All those icons take 1-2MB max, which is nothing on a phone with 2GB memory.

quote: I accomplish the same on the iPhone by putting the most commonly used apps in the first page and the rest in folders on 2nd and 3rd pages. If I have to quickly find an app, there is the search function.

Dude this IS tinkering. And you can do the same thing on Android. Do you not understand what he's saying??

quote: I used android and know the distinction between an app drawer and a desktop. I personally don't care for it as it's just another thing I have to maintain, and move apps back and forth...

????

You do it once, and you're done! This is no more "tinkering" than your iPhone method. It's the same thing, Android is just presenting you with a way to see all the installed apps and widgets easily.

quote: Still does not excuse lagginess, not one bit. All those icons take 1-2MB max, which is nothing on a phone with 2GB memory.

....

Just..okay, it's not worth it. Again, on display for all, we see the complete computer illiteracy of the average Apple customer.

"Again, on display for all, we see the complete computer illiteracy of the average Apple customer."

Bingo... Although snottier, this guy is not quite as daft as Nortel, insisting Samsung copied Apple with their choice of RAM size on the GS3. He actually thinks that using 16, 32 and 64gb of RAM is Samsung copying Apple... Another hilarious iTard. Not only did he think it, he defended it vigorously LOL. A freegin riot.

quote: Still does not excuse lagginess, not one bit. All those icons take 1-2MB max, which is nothing on a phone with 2GB memory.

Well, you're free to think whatever you like. If you ever do wish to learn about why it's not that simple, read up on transactional databases and all the work you have to do to maintain consistency. It's a design decision Google made - that given what the function was used for and how infrequently it was used, accuracy was more important than scrolling smoothness.

But if you're one of those people who would rather something look pretty than be accurate, you're entitled to your opinion.

Tell me what does a transactional database have anything to do with icons, which are just small PNG images easily able to fit in memory? iOS and WP8 just do fine without any lag and WP8 even has animated tiles to boot. User experience and smoothness is the most important thing in an OS. UI threads should ALWAYS have the highest priority and anything less is just poor customer experience and inexcusable.

While putting apps in folders is tinkering, it's FAR less tinkering than in Android, where you'd have to go to a DIFFERENT place to uninstall an app than where you launch it from.

It's a good thing that DT is not representative of the entire country, otherwise we'd have Romney for president and the Galaxy S3 outselling the iPhone 5.

LOL. With every post you embarras yourself further. Seriously, just stop. You don't get it, a widget is not an icon and the widget selection screen is not a bunch of icons. At the very least wait for a shopping ROM before you completely misunderstand a problem. Too funny. I am not sure if you are just trying to spread FUD on purpose or you are a complete moron.

1. Long press app icon on homescreen.2. Drag up to "Remove" that appears at the top of the screen.3. Hold over "Remove" for a second until it changes to "Uninstall".

All of this takes about 2-3 seconds total – it's almost painfully simple to uninstall apps on modern Android.

Not massively discoverable I'll admit, but then I was flummoxed the first time I tried to uninstall an app on iOS. Of course, once you've done it, it's easy. A lot of "intuitive" in software is actually what you are used to – just don't assume you can't do something on another system as easily as the one you're more familiar with…

Considering I have used HTC, Motorola, Samsung, Palm over the years and don't just argue for 1 company and 1 company only like most of you retards on here, pretty sure I am not but keep thinking whatever suits your little AppleMush brain.

Exactly... I will never get people that argue for a company and everything they do. I think you are the same as me. We use Android because its simply the best platform out there. I dont give a crap about Google, Samsung or any other company. As soon as another mobile OS comes along that is better than Android , I will drop it and never look back. This will make me happy to do, because if something better comes along then my personal stuff gets better. I like Google as a company, but I really dont care if they make a little, or alot of cash. I like their products and if their products ever suck compared to the competition (like Apples currently do) then I will drop them. Simple.

#2. The lag is on the widget selection screen where it shows read data from all apps that have widgets

#3 look at this HUGE list of things this phone does that the iPhone doesnt. There is no comparison. In 2012 Android surpassed iPhone. In 2013 its not even close. The iPhone is starting to look like Blackberry ala 2011.

None of it matters if you lack the proper software.Where is Infinity Blade 2 on Android? Where is the Walking Dead, or any new noteworthy game that's not Angry Birds?Sales figures show it as well, when you have a shitty ecosystem, not many people spend money on it.

LOL... Yes. Anything that you cant do doesn't matter... I guess thinking clearly is ruled out as well. You name a couple of lame games and you think that makes a platform? ugh... Any and all smartphones and tablets suck for gaming, Apple included... but even including gaming, there isnt anything you can do on an IOS device that you cant do on an Android. there are a TON of things you can do on Android that you cannot with IOS. That is just a fact.

If you like a small screen phone with low res that is missing all that functionality, then the iPhone is good for you . You should keep it. It's certainly fast and for gaming (which as I mentioned sucks on all touchscreen devices) its as good as it gets for that. If that suits you fine, but the iPhone isn't good enough for me. If you like an inferior product that is fine, buy it, but don't crap on superior products because you don't need one. You just come off looking petty and ill informed.

Oh wow iPhone has Infinity Blade 2? Well stop the presses, I'm going to run out right now and buy a phone because of some goddamned game!!

Are you idiots hearing yourselves?

quote: Sales figures show it as well, when you have a shitty ecosystem, not many people spend money on it.

Because Android has WAY more value added than iOS. You don't need to spend money on a phone if it comes out of the box with everything you need. Add a few free apps for the things you want, and what's left?

I don't even have an iPhone right now. I have a Lumia 920 and an iPad, and I was on Android until recently. The difference in quality is there, even the same app on both platforms is usually better on iOS.

Games are an obvious difference but its just the tip of the iceberg. iOS having better apps makes sense since it is more profitable and easier to develop.

Lets be honest. There are three Android trolls on this site. Retrospooty, Reclaimer77 (who I'm sure is the same person) and CheeseW - who is basically a loyal monkey to the first two.

You say you guys don't care about any company, but what you do care about is hating Apple. Your fanboy-ism isn't fuelled by good experiences, but by bitterness at what I can only assume is some massive inferiority complex you feel.

It's evidenced constantly, you claim you're neutral but look at the pathetic lists you come up with and spew all over every Android / Apple thread.

And, as usual, when I can be bothered, I educated you on them:

Larger Screen - a bad thing for some people

Higher resolution screen - not really useful if you can't even discern the pixels on the iPhone screen. Colour oversaturation, PenTile, probably slower frame rates, and iPhone display reported by DisplayMate as best ever in smartphone.

Faster CPU/GPU - not yet confirmed. US version may have different processor. GPU not yet benchmarked. Also, this will be available to buy 8 months after iPhone 5. So we should compare the S4 to the iPhone 5S (only a 4 month gap).

Better Edge to Edge display (no giant iBezel) - the iPhone 5 is thinner, lighter, less tall and less wide.

For that to even be possible I would have to be schizophrenic. But continue the trolling.

By the way calling others trolls, but dedicating the first three paragraphs of a post to insulting others and making ad homenum attacks...yeah, there's a word for that.

quote: And, as usual, when I can be bothered, I educated you on them:

Okay educate me please...

quote: Faster Voice search - not really sure if serious..

I'm sure he WAS serious. Google Now isn't just faster, it's all around better than Siri could ever hope to be. This has been objectively proven by dozens of tests and videos that are available to you. If you really cared about the truth.

quote: Widgets - lol

Well that was certainly an "educational" response. Widgets are awesome, and you're a moron if you don't agree. The concept of Widgets were so groundbreaking, Microsoft has used them exclusively in the Windows Phone UI. They just call them "Live Tiles".

quote: Live wallpaper - lol

How "educated". Can you please elaborate on how awesome customization like Live Wallpapers are "lol" worthy? Or are you trying to sound like a 14 year old?

If iOS had Widgets and Live Wallpapers, you and others would be putting them on YOUR list of iOS features that kick ass. Come on, you know it's true.

Yeah because the first thing I want to do with a captive battery is use a charger that can overcharge my battery beyond it's specifications, so I have to send the phone in to be repaired. They are called "emergency" chargers for a reason..

LOL... You are a piece of work arent you? I agree with you on one thing. If you systematically ignore and eliminate everything on that list, the iPhone stacks up real well to it. Unfortunately most of those items are real and not just subjective and are highly useful. Just because you dont see the benefit doesnt mean there isnt a benefit. That list grows with every release and most of it matters. It may not matter to you, that is fine, but its real and it matters to me and alot of users. You may not expect much from a smartphone, I do. The iPhone is basically a low end smartphone with a high end SOC period. Not good enough for me. You cant say a whole lot, because in spite of all your ranting and raving and superior mentality, when it came time to put your money where your mouth is you bought a Nexus 4 and put your foot where your mouth is so just STFU.

And as far as motivation... I dont hate Apple. I hate the complete tools that post in favor of it no matter what the product or move they make. Honestly, I am tired of seeing it and hearing it and I post against their ridiculous assertions and will continue to do so.

quote: You cant say a whole lot, because in spite of all your ranting and raving and superior mentality, when it came time to put your money where your mouth is you bought a Nexus 4 and put your foot where your mouth is so just STFU.

lol no sh$t? He did? You have to be kidding me. Just...HAHAHA

He's using stuff everyday that he dismissed on your list as being "lol" or irrelevant or gimmicky. What a complete tool. Arguing just to argue..